Calls: Harriet Harman, Labour's shadow culture
secretary, called for an independent inquiry
into the BBC's handling of the allegations

BBC boss George Entwistle will be quizzed about the handling of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal by MPs today as calls were made for an independent inquiry into the Corporation's actions.

Harriet Harman, Labour's shadow culture secretary, called on the Government to set up an independent inquiry into the BBC's handling of the allegations surrounding the late DJ.

It comes after excerpts from last night's Panorama highlighted the different explanations given by BBC
bosses about a Newsnight documentary, which planned to expose Savile's crimes, and reasons why it was dropped.

Mr Entwistle faces the Culture,
Media and Sport select committee a day after Newsnight editor Peter
Rippon stepped aside after the BBC said his explanation of why the show
dropped its investigation was 'inaccurate or incomplete'.

In a statement last night Ms Harman said: 'With every day, new information comes to light of the pervasive and appalling nature of Jimmy Savile's sexual assaults.

'Tonight's Panorama programme means that the BBC will have to answer more questions about who knew what and when; and why the Savile tribute programmes were aired while the Newsnight investigation was axed.

'This will be a very distressing time for the many victims of Jimmy Savile and they will understandably want an independent inquiry which gets to the truth about what happened - not just at the BBC but at the other places where he committed these terrible crimes.

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'It is not good enough for the government to leave the BBC - and other institutions - to investigate themselves in such a serious scandal.

'All this underlines the need for the Government to establish an overarching inquiry and for it to be truly independent.'

This morning's select committee is expected to quiz Director-General Mr Entwistle, who took up his post last month, about the two reviews into the case set up by the BBC, the corporations vetting procedures at the time it employed the late DJ and its existing policies on sexual harassment.

Questions: BBC director-general George Entwistle leaves his home in south London this morning ahead of being questioned by MPs, and right, Peter Rippon, editor of Newsnight who stood aside from his role yesterday

Mr Rippon has handed over control of the flagship current affairs show while the inquiry headed by Nick Pollard, the former head of Sky News, into how the BBC handled the scandal is carried out.

Earlier this month, he defended his decision to axe the report in a BBC blog but yesterday the corporation issued a correction.

He originally said there was no evidence staff at the Duncroft approved school in Surrey, which Savile regularly visited, could have known about allegations Savile abused children, but the BBC said: 'In fact some allegations were made (mostly in general terms) that some of the Duncroft staff knew or may have known about the abuse.'

Mr Rippon also said the women who spoke to Newsnight journalists had already spoken to police, but the BBC now says that is untrue and Newsnight actually uncovered new evidence about Savile's alleged crimes.

THE SEVEN QUESTIONS GEORGE ENTWISTLE MUST ANSWER

When BBC director-general George Entwistle appears before the Culture, Media and Sport select committee today there are key questions that must be asked if the truth is to emerge about why the Newsnight investigation into Jimmy Savile was dropped.

Why was Newsnight's investigation into Jimmy Savile not broadcast?

Why did Mr Entwistle tell staff it was an investigation into Surrey Police's inquiry into Savile, rather than an investigation into allegations that Savile was a paedophile?

Why did Mr Entwistle persist with broadcasting two Christmas programmes in tribute to Savile?

Why were allegations of abuse by Savile that were uncovered by Newsnight journalists not then passed on to police?

If the Newsnight programme was pulled because there was insufficient evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service to bring any charges, why were reporters not given more time to make their investigations?

Did the BBC act on any of the information uncovered by the Newsnight reporters and conduct any internal inquiries into the allegations about Savile? If not, why not?

The corrected blogpost also said that while no allegations were made BBC staff 'were aware' of Savile's behaviour, Newsnight did hear allegations of 'abusive conduct on BBC premises'.

A BBC spokesman said: 'On the basis of material now available, it is apparent from information supplied by the Newsnight editor and programme team that the explanation by the editor in his blog of his decision to drop the programme's investigation is inaccurate or incomplete in some respects.'

After Newsnight shelved the programme Entwistle wrote to all staff saying the investigation was into 'Surrey Police's inquiry into Jimmy Savile towards the end of 2011'.

But producer Meirion Jones immediately emailed Mr Entwistle countering that, writing: 'George - one note - the investigation was into whether Jimmy Savile was a paedophile - I know because it was my investigation.

'We didn't know that Surrey Police had investigated Jimmy Savile - no-one did - that was what we found when we investigated and interviewed his victims.'

Mr Entwistle will also face questions about a reported conversation he had with BBC director of news Helen Boaden who told him - in his then role of director of vision - about the Newsnight investigation and its possible impact on planned tributes to Savile during an awards lunch on December 2.

She told him if the Newsnight investigation went ahead, he might have to change the Christmas schedules.

Last night's Panorama heard from Mr Jones and reporter Liz MacKean who both claim they interviewed at least four alleged victims of Savile - and confirmed with Surrey Police they had investigated sex abuse complaints against the Jim'll Fix It star in 2007.

They say when they told bosses the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) did not charge Savile because of insufficient evidence, they were told to end the investigation - and the show was withdrawn.

Abuse: After Newsnight shelved the programme
Entwistle wrote to all staff saying the investigation was into 'Surrey
Police's inquiry into Jimmy Savile towards the end of 2011' - and not the allegations of paedophilia

Last night it emerged that Surrey Police had found evidence of 'three further potential offences' by Savile as a result of its investigation.

PANORAMA 'LEFT OPEN MORE QUESTIONS THAN IT ANSWERED'

Daily Telegraph's Neil Midgley: 'So Panorama was a programme that left open more questions than it answered.

'We still weren’t given a convincing
explanation as to why Rippon decided to pull the Newsnight investigation
at all – and, in particular, to pull it completely, instead of allowing
it to gather more evidence.'

Guardian's Mark Damazer:
'The noble reason for this acute and sometimes embarrassing navel-
gazing is the need to protect the BBC's impartiality and integrity'.

Piers Morgan ‏@piersmorgan: 'This #Panorama expose of Savile is absolutely horrifying. Which makes it all the more scandalous that Newsnight covered it up.'

Bianca Jagger ‏@BiancaJagger: 'I am watching #Panorama about #JimmySavile, I am speechless, shocked and revolted by the cover-up. We must expose other celebrities...

Labour MP Tom Watson ‏@tom_watson: 'Can't believe #Panorama. If I was the BBC's impressive Liz MacKean or Meirion Jones I would be furious. What do you think?'

But a CPS spokeswoman said charges were not brought because in each case 'the evidence showed that none of the alleged victims would support a prosecution'.

The horror stories about Savile emerged only after ITV broadcast a documentary at the start of this month - sparking mayhem at the BBC over losing its scoop and leading to the allegations of a cover-up.

A Panorama statement said: 'Peter Rippon has always maintained the story was pulled for 'editorial reasons' and not because of a potentially embarrassing clash with planned BBC tributes to Savile over Christmas.

'Panorama has found no evidence to contradict that view.'

Mr Jones and Ms MacKean told
programme-makers bosses wanted them to stand up a suggestion Savile was
not prosecuted because the Crown Prosecution Service thought he was too
old and frail.

When it
emerged that was not true and he was not prosecuted because of
insufficient evidence, the pair were told to abandon the investigation
rather than get more proof, Panorama reports.

Ms
MacKean said: 'Ever since the decision was taken to shelve our story,
I've not been happy with public statements made by the BBC.

'I think they're very misleading about the nature of the investigation we were doing.'

Ms MacKean said Mr Rippon went cold on
the story and she was left with the clear impression her editor was
feeling under pressure, writing to a friend: 'PR (Peter Rippon) says if
the bosses aren't happy... (he) can't go to the wall on this one.'

Controversial: Last night's
edition of Panorama highlighted the different explanations given by BBC
bosses about a Newsnight documentary, which planned to expose Savile's crimes, and reasons why it was dropped

Reporter: Liz MacKean, a Newsnight reporter, said in the programme last night that she has 'not been happy with public statements made by the BBC' since they decided to shelve their Jimmy Savile story

Ms
MacKean told Panorama: 'I was very unhappy the story didn't run because
I felt we'd spoken to people who collectively deserved to be heard and
they weren't heard and I thought that was a failing... I felt very much
that I'd let them down.'

Mr Jones emailed Mr Rippon five days later to warn him about what would happen if the investigation was dropped.

'I was sure the story would come out
one way or another and that, if it did, the BBC would be accused of a
cover-up,' Mr Jones tells Panorama.

'In
fact, I wrote an email to Peter saying 'the story is strong enough' and
the danger of not running it is 'substantial damage to BBC
reputation'.'

Traumatic: Karin Ward, one of Savile's victims of child abuse, gave an interview to Newsnight 11 months ago while she was suffering from cancer. She spoke out in last night's Panorama over the scandal

Footage of Savile surrounded by girls was aired on last night's show entitled What The BBC Knew

More footage of Savile on one of his many shows lifting up the skirt of one female member of the audience

According to The Daily Telegraph three emails sent by Ms MacKean expressing concerns about management interference to an unnamed friend were blocked by Panorama's lawyers from appearing in last night's programme.

The newspaper claimed that publication was prevented because of the potential for legal action.

A Panorama spokesman said: 'It is ridiculous to suggest in the circumstances that Panorama is not prepared to take BBC management to task.'